Board Game Arena

Opening hand with 4 sponsor cards - science lab, archaeologist, medical breakthrough and explorer... Two of them need Sponsorship II and one needs for lab icons!

You have to experiment sometimes, right? Wish me luck lol

Snap or draw for an animal, get a lab icon uni ASAP and play archaeologist. Upgrade Sponsorship ASAP. Usually I don't even upgrade my sponsor card, let alone first thing, so curious to see what happens

Depends on what animals you had, which map, and which conservation projects, but science lab, archelogist and explorer are great openings (medical less so, especially as you are unlikely to support projects for its yellow effect).
If you can assure getting the 2 rep university, and then also can get 2 rep of the map (for example, on icecream parlour), so you can fast track upgrading sponsors, that is great.

It was the lakeside map.

It worked quite well. Played the archaeologist ASAP, used that ability to claim extra rep points and upgraded sponsorship quickly allowing me to play explorer and then start collecting animal types. You are right about medical but the free income every break made up for it, and I figured the other cards meant 4 microscopes was more easily achievable.

Was definitely a good learning experience. I did lose in the end but was first to 100 and ended with a good score (132 vs 141). My opponent managed to play for an extra final scoring card with a rhino, and lucked out with a good one (+3 or 4), and also had an eagle for his final turn so could play it and then played for 5 eco points. I'm sure I made plenty of mistakes but it was a fun game though.